The Blood of a Poet
Encyclopædia 0.1

Characters

Barsac

The directeur of the Pension Veneur and an author. He had "a faint, fetid smell" that reminded MAS of the undertaker's office. He gave MAS a small studio on the top floor. He tried to offer MAS to the Cenobites as a part of the deal the Pension Veneur had with Hell. MAS convinced them to take him instead, and Barsac was dragged to Hell.

Butterball

One of the four Cenobites who came for MAS.

Cenobites

Four Cenobites and two Cenobite pets came from Hell. "They brought a fitful phosphorescence, like the glow of deep-sea life, and a smell of vanilla, which barely hid the stench beneath." They had a deal with the residents of the Pension Veneur. They inspired the artist through their dreams. The artist were to give their most perverse work to them. Every so often, they demanded a flesh offering as well. Paquet was the previous offering, and MAS was to be the most recent. When the Cenobites came, MAS began to spew poetry. He sweet talked them, and they took Barsac to Hell instead.

Cocteau, Jean

A famous poet. "By pouring my blue ink in them, I made the ghosts turn visible. To say that the task is simple or without danger would be insane. To dare disturb the angels." MAS met him at La Coupole and showed him his poetry. He said that his poems did not "disturb angels."

Curval

One of the residents of the Pension Veneur. "A blonde waif-like sculptress, who seemed cold and remote..." MAS discovered her and Legrand having sex one night. When the Cenobites turned on Barsac she "moved not an inch to aid him".

Daneil

The owner of L'Oeil de Pan and Melanie's boss. He was Sebaud's brother. He's an expert at banal speech.

The Female Cenobite

One of the four Cenobites who came for MAS.

Legrand

One of the residents of the Pension Veneur. "A stout, vital painter..." He liked to eat rare meat. MAS discovered him and Curval having sex during his second night. He invited MAS to join them. When the Cenobites turned on Barsac he "moved not an inch to aid him".

LeMarchand

definition

"A strange maker of puzzle boxes and other weird mechanical wonders..." He was the original owner of the Pension Veneur and set up the trust that allowed artist to stay there.

MAS

A struggling poet from Kansas who traveled to Paris. He wandered into the L'Oeil de Pan and asked about rooms to rent. Daniel told him to go to the Pension Veneur. Barsac gave him a studio on the top floor of this place. That night, he dreamed of "monstrous visions." During the dream, he began to write automatically. The writing hurt him. When blood began to seep out from under his fingernails, he stopped and woke up. He continued this the next night as well. He discovered a name scratched on his door frame and tried to find out who he was. He met with Melanie in the Luxembourg Gardens one last time, as she told him about the Pension Veneur. When he returned, he was locked in his room by the other residents. He carved his initials in the door frame and crossed out "Paquet." Barsac tried to offer him to the Cenobites. When they arrived, he spewed out dark and filthy poetry. He convinced the Cenobites to replace Barsac with him. He passed out when they took Barsac to Hell. When he woke up, he was the new directeur of the Pension Veneur.

Mathieu

One of the residents of the Pension Veneur. "An old musician, whose eyes were glazed and who muttered to himself..." He had epileptic fits at dinner. During MAS's second night, he killed himself in a rather unpleasant way.

Melanie

She worked at L'Oeil de Pan. She hesitated telling MAS about the Pension Veneur. She met with him at Luxembourg Gardens and told him of the Pension Veneur's history. She urged him not to go back. When MAS went to see her the next day, Daniel told him she'd been stabbed by a mugger the night before and was dead.

Paquet

The previous resident of MAS's room. He scratched his name into the door frame.

Pinhead

One of the four Cenobites who came for MAS.

Restif

One of the residents of the Pension Veneur. "An engineer whose passion was automata and clockwork toys." A tinkerer. He wanted to imitate LeMarchand. He kept LeMarchand's Cursed Machine in his room and was the man to activate it when an offering to the Cenobites was ready.

Sebaud

Concierge, butler, and cook for the Pension Veneur. He was "a gnome-like creature" and Daniel's brother. Mistreated by Barsac, he prevented his master fleeing when the Cenobites turned on him.

Locations

La Coupole

Café where MAS met and talked with Jean Cocteau.

 

Luxembourg Gardens

Where MAS met Melanie. It was a "bright, sunny afternoon" that "made the horrors of the Pension look even more unreal".

 

The Eye of Pan

See L'Oeil de Pan.

 

L'Oeil de Pan

A bookstore dealing in occult and poetry. Melanie worked there. MAS inquired about rooms for rent here, and Daniel told him of the Pension Veneur.

 

Paris, France

Location of the Pension Veneur.

 

Pension Veneur

A boarding house in Paris "located in a tranquil cul-de-sac," formerly owned by LeMarchand. Artists live there free under a pension set up by LeMarchand. It was build over the catacombs and "bone powder was mixed into its very mortar, blood used in its cement." MAS was given a small studio on the top floor. The artists there produce art that is "filthy and perverse." Secret collectors paid high prices for this art. The most perverse art was created for the Cenobites, who gave them their inspiration. Every so often, the Cenobites demanded a flesh offering to continue the deal. MAS replaced Barsac as the director after sweet talking the Cenobites.

Salle a Manger

The dining room. Formal attire had to be worn to dinner, which was at 8pm. MAS first met his housemates here.

Things

LeMarchand's Cursed Machine

A contraption of metal. It's made of hemispheres welded to a central cylinder, which rest on four metal feet. Restif controlled it. It was used to summon the Cenobites from Hell when the residents of the Pension Veneur had a flesh offering for them.

Rules, the Pension Veneur's

There were only three rules:
Dinner at 8pm.
No overnight guests.
Produce art.

Timeline

Sept 1925, Day 1	MAS goes to L'Oeil de Pan, meets Melanie, and learns of the Pension Veneur.   MAS gets a studio on the top floor of the Pension Veneur.   MAS dreams and writes a poem in his sleep.
Sept 1925, Day 2	MAS asks about Paquet and discovers Restif's machine.  MAS visits L'Oeil de Pan and Melanie.  MAS writes more poetry and discovers Legrand and Curval having sex.  Mathieu kills himself.
Sept 1925, Day 3	MAS is captured by the artists and offered to the Cenobites, he talks them into taking Barsac instead.  Barsac is taken to Hell.  Melanie is killed by a mugger.
Sept 1925, Day 4	MAS wakes up as the new directeur of the Pension Veneur and eventually excepts the position.

References

Clive Barker's Hellraiser, Book 3: "The Blood of a Poet" by R.J.M Lofficier, John Ridgway, Gaspar Saladino & Steve Oliff